Confronting The Past
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Takes place immediately after the Virtual World Arc. Mokuba asks Seto a question that has haunted him since birth, forcing his brother to confront the past, and look toward the future.


The virtual world was around them, and then in a flash it was gone, returning them all to their bodies. Mokuba got out of his pod, and he went to his brother. They went back to the blimp, and Mokuba could tell that his brother was trying his best to already forget the events that had so recently plagued their small family. But Mokuba… Mokuba had felt something stir inside of him. It had brought forth a long buried guilt, and Mokuba knew that the time to deal with that horrific guilt that was now devouring him was this moment, because he knew how his brother operated. He knew that Seto would box this up and shove it as far back in his mind as he could. So he had to do it now. He reached out for Seto and grabbed a hold of one of his hands before squeezing it and looking up at him.

Seto Kaiba, host of the Battle City Tournament, former Duel Monsters champion, and the CEO of Kaiba Corp, looked down at his little brother. The look on Mokuba's face was one he had not seen in years, not since they were trapped in that damn orphanage. He knew that face- it was Mokuba's "I-need-to-talk-to-you-now" face. Seto Kaiba knew his brother well. He knew that Mokuba respected his wishes and needs above those of himself. He would not interrupt his brother getting back to the tournament unless it was extremely important. Kaiba turned to Roland.

"Tell everyone we will continue this later and then call them back when I instruct you to, and make absolutely sure that we are not disturbed." He ordered.

"Yes sir, Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba nodded, then ushered his brother into his room on the blimp. Mokuba sat down in a chair, his eyes downcast and gloomy, and Seto knew instinctively that this was serious. Seto sat atop the small table in front of the chair.

"Mokuba, what is it?" He asked, his voice usually so cold and hardened, was soft and kind.

Mokuba looked up at him, and for the first time in such a long time, he looked afraid. "S-Seto…"

Seto detested physical contact, but he placed his hand on his brother's, in a silent gesture that said, _It's okay_.

Mokuba took in a shaky breath. "Seto… Is it my fault?"

Kaiba blinked. "Is what your fault?"

"Is it my fault that our parents are gone?" His eyes were full of guilt and tears. The guilt that inherently came with the question, but also the fact that he knew what talking about them did to his brother. Seto's face would grow pinched, and he would clam up about it. In all reality, his brother was unlikely to talk about this even now. But he had to try, not before looking away in shame though.

Seto was shocked by the question. When he was little, Mokuba had asked him about their parents, and he hadn't been able to answer him because of his own belief that remembering the past would change nothing, not even counting the fact that it was painful to remember. He knew it did no good to remember, or dwell on what might have been- because the ache of not having it was a harsh blow. But that question… How could he not answer that question? Mokuba had clearly been harboring this guilt for a while, and it was up to him to make his brother understand that this was not his cross to bear. He got up from the table, pushed it back, and knelt down in front of his brother, before he held both of his hands.

"Mokuba, look at me." His voice was still kind, but it was very serious. Mokuba did as he asked. "What happened to them was nobody's fault, least of all yours. Mom and Dad wanted you from the start, and they were so excited when they found out you were coming. Mom had a hard time with her pregnancy and she was pretty sick most of the time. But she never stopped smiling, like you do. And when you came… There were complications. Ones that the doctors couldn't see coming. It couldn't have been prevented. But she got to hold you, and she said goodbye to us. All of us. And as for Dad… He was in a car accident. He didn't want to leave. That's what you need to understand. It wasn't because you weren't good enough or that he didn't want you or I, or that he blamed you for any of that. It wasn't a choice. Dad cared. He loved us- but one bad driver on a rainy night ruined that. Not you."

"But Seto-"

"No, Mokuba. This wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. They made the choices that got them there. And if that hadn't happened, we wouldn't be where we are today. We wouldn't have our company, and more importantly we wouldn't have the bond we have with each other."

"Seto, if I hadn't been born Mom and Dad would be alive right now. You would have parents. You wouldn't have had to be hurt by our aunt, or abused by Gozaburo. You could have been a completely different person… a happier person. And I- I'm the reason you're not."

"Mokuba, you're so wrong." Kaiba said patiently. "You don't understand something. You are right about the fact that I might have had parents, but I wouldn't have had the person who matters the most to me. I wouldn't have you. And you- you're the reason I'm happy at all here and now. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would ever feel love. I might feel pride when I win a match, or excitement over new cards, but I think my hope and my happiness would have been gone a long time ago if it weren't for you. I would have become Gozaburo without you. Don't you see? You're the best parts of me, Mokuba. You always have been. Having parents doesn't matter to me. Having you does."

Mokuba stared into his brother's blue eyes, and saw both the seriousness and the love shining there. It made tears stream down his face, in relief, in joy, in love. His absolution had been given after his worst confession. He leapt at his brother, wrapping his arms around his neck like a boa constrictor and burying his face in his chest as he sobbed out his emotions. Seto responded easily, putting his arms around his brother in a hug, and picked him up so that he could get up from the ground. He held onto Mokuba, rubbing his back, and reassuring him over and over that it was okay. For all his effort, he seemed to be getting nowhere. And then, instinct, one buried for so long it had nearly been forgotten, kicked in.

He started walking around the room, bouncing his brother ever so slightly. He had done this when Mokuba was very small, when he cried inconsolably. And then, to his surprise, he started to sing to his little brother. He never did that anymore. Sometimes when his brother was little and had nightmares, he would sing some silly nursery rhyme he'd heard. The closest he'd come to that in recent years was humming while he worked on a project. But now- now he ended up singing the entirety of a favorite lullaby. And slowly, Mokuba calmed down, until he was only sniffling. Then, in an action he had not performed since those long nights in the orphanage, he paused in his ritual, and pressed a kiss to his brother's forehead. The effect on Mokuba was immediate. He stiffened a second in surprise, and then his entire body relaxed, to the point where Seto thought he might fall asleep. And he seemed to be right.

The crying and guilt and physical exertion of their latest adventure on top of all of this had exhausted the young boy. Mokuba felt his hold on consciousness weakening, and then just like that, it was just about gone. The soothing motions his brother had performed were starting up again, along with humming this time around, until he was practically melted butter in his brother's arms. Seto seemed to take notice of this, because about the time Mokuba almost fell asleep, Seto laid him in his bed and tucked him in. When Seto was about to turn away, presumably to tell Roland that he would be sleeping in his brother's room, Mokuba reached out and gripped his hand to stop him. His eyes barely open, the last sight he saw were Seto's blue eyes- the same eyes his biological father had once had. In that moment of sleep deprived exhaustion, he whispered, "Don't leave me, Dad." Just before falling asleep.

Seto was stunned, more than he had ever been in his life. He had never anticipated anyone using that word with him, especially his own brother. The shock of that was great enough that he took a seat beside the bed to think it over.

When they had gotten to the orphanage on that very first day, he had sworn to be the father Mokuba had lost. He supposed that in a very bizarre way, fate had interceded on his behalf and perhaps granted him a glimpse of something yet to come. He thought over his relationship with Mokuba. He was already the kid's legal guardian, not to mention the fact that Mokuba had said on more than one occasion that Seto was more of a father to him than Gozaburo had been or would ever be. It would be more a leap in title than in role. Realistically speaking, were he to take up the mantle of being a father, it wouldn't be too different from what he did for Mokuba already. He provided for him, took care of him, kept him safe as best he could, and did what he could to meet his emotional needs. That's what all parents did. So, what was stopping him?

That was when he made the decision, and used his Jacket's intercom system to speak to Roland, asking him to print off some adoption papers in the morning. When that was done, he looked over at Mokuba, and gave him one uncharacteristic kiss to the forehead.

_Goodnight… Son._


End file.
